Thermomedical device.



PATENTED NOV. 14, 1905.

D. M. SMALL.

THERMOMEDIGAL DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.7.1903.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THERIVIOMEDICAL DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14, 1905.

Application filed October '7, 1903. Serial No. 176,171.

To to whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DEXTER M. SMALL, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island,have invented a Thermomedical Device, whereby either hot or cold applications can be made, as hereinafter set forth, combining safety, convenience, and the highest degree of efficiency, with simplicity and cheapness of construction, of which the following is a specification. I

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a plan view, partly broken away and partly in section; Fig. 2, a top view of cylindrical support J, lever S, wick-tube N with regulating-tube R; and Fig. 3, a modification of the valve.

In Fig. 1, X represents a steam-boiler; A A A, a radiating pad or coil of hollow tubing, which can be of any desired material, shape, or size, having a flexible supply-tube B and drip-tube C, the supply-tube being provided at the end with a small metal tube I), to which is secured a plug (preferably rubber) for conveniently connecting the radiating-pad with steam-passage from boiler, (preferably through a safety-valve, as shown.) To make one pad answer for a variety of cases where different lengths are required, I construct it in longitudinal sections, each provided with an outlet and an inlet at both ends, so that they can be conveniently connected together end to end, and thus easily made of any desired length forwinding around a limb or extending across or drawing under a patient with the least possible trouble, annoyance, or liability of obstructing the flow of steam. This is very important and no other construction meets the requirement.

To avoid the corrosion incident to other metals, it is preferable to construct the boiler of aluminium, with a collar F for receiving plug Gr, and with a groove H for receiving the inverted edge I of cylindrical support J, that holds it above lamp Y, there being acorresponding groove L in lamp for receiving edge K on the bottom of this support.

0 is a small aperture for the wick in bottom of tube N, and P a rim in bottom of socket M for supporting tube N.

In operation sufiicient steam is generated within the boiler X to force its way through tube B and the radiating-pad, the condensed steam dripping out of tube G into some open receptacle. To guard against accident, I provide boiler with a detachable automatic steamexhaust composed of valve-head Z, fitted to top of tube T, the pressure required to raise it being regulated by an adjustable spring V, with nut U surrounding the stem of the valve below this tube. This stem can have a flat place on one side extending up to the head Z, which is a common construction well known, or fit loosely enough for the steam to pass up freely all around it. G is a plug (best seen in Fig. 3) secured to this tube and fitted to collar F, which serves as an opening for filling the boiler. W is a passage-way for the steam from the boiler through stem of valve, as shown in Fig. 1, or through tube d, secured to tube T of valve below valve-seat, as shown in Fig. 3. In this case the tube 03 can be small enough to be inserted within the flexible tube B, but is preferably made large enough to receive plug E. By this construction only one opening is required in the boiler and only one valve is needed for any number or variety of coils or pads, eachbeing provided with a corresponding device for connecting it with passage through valve and which is to be submerged in ice-water for making cold applications while the water is siphoned through the pad, the rapidity of flow and the resultant temperature being regulated by position of orificeof drip-tube, the height of which is conveniently adjusted by sliding tube 0, which surrounds tubes B and C either back or forth, as required.

I claim as my invention Athermomedical device composed of asuitable boiler for generating steam under pressure, a longitudinally-extensible radiating-pad connected therewith, an intermediate safetyvalve, a heating device above which the boiler is rigidly supported by a cylindrical device J open in front and constructed with inverted edges at top and bottom for engaging with corresponding grooves in bottom of boiler and top of lamp, all constructed and combined so as to operate substantially as set forth.

DEXTER M. SMALL; Witnesses:

HOWARD E. BARLOW, FRANK A. FOSTER. 

